Air release lid

ABSTRACT

The air release lid for sealed silos has a bracket secured on the silo roof disposed radially inwardly of the opening therein. An arm is pivoted on the bracket adjacent the lower end thereof, the arm terminating at substantially the center of said opening. A spring connects the upper end of the bracket with the outer end portion of the arm for normally urging the arm to swing upwardly. A second bracket is disposed normal to the arm and fixedly secured intermediate its ends to the outer end of the arm. A lid of same shape as but larger than the opening is pivotally connected to the lower end of the second bracket; and a cable extends from the upper end of the second bracket radially across the silo roof and down the side of the silo and is adapted to be locked when the cable is drawn taut, thereby maintaining the lid tightly seated across the opening.

1 1 3,733,750 1 51 May 22,1973

United States Patent 1191 Hege I [54] AIR RELEASE LID Primary Examiner-Kenneth Downey Att0rney-Alexander & Dowell [76] Inventor: Sanford L. Hege, R.D. No. 2, Chambersburg, Pa. 17201 Dec. '20, 1971 Appl. No.: 209,714

[57] ABSTRACT The air release lid for sealed silos has a bracket secured on the silo roof disposed radially inwardly of the opening therein. An arm is pivoted on the bracket adjacent the lower end thereof, the arm terminating at [22] Filed:

v 1, 2 92 9mwm39 13 wus -M4 9 1 0 9 3 2 2 U 5 M72 n3 7 0/. 3 97 44 9 m A I U "0 u "m m n n m m m WM 1 u S I h W d U IF 1 111 2 18 5 55 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 938,593 11/1909 Laubeuf .............................49/379 x the and down the we the and adapted to be locked when the cable is drawn taut,

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS thereby maintaining the lid tightly seated across the opening.

10/1964 France 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED 3. 733.750

IN VENTOR SANFORD L. HEGE ATTORNEK AIR RELEASE up DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION This invention is a novel air release lid for sealed silos adapted to be mounted on the roof of the silo, the lid being adapted to be opened during the period that silage is being blown by the customary silage blower into another opening in thetop of the silo in order to permit escape of excess air introduced into the silo during the filling operation by the blower, the air release lid being adapted to tightly close theair release opening in the silo roof after the filling operation has been completed in order to normally maintain a substantially sealed atmosphere within the silo.

Another object of the invention is to provide such air release valve with means whereby the opening and closing of the air release lid may be controlled from a position adjacent the ground level of the silo, thereby obviating the necessity of the farmer having to climb to the top of the silo whenever the air release vale is to be opened or closed.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates one practical embodiment thereof, to enable others familiar with the artto adopt and use the same, and will summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my novel air release lid installed on the roof of a silo adjacent the edge thereof.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the air release lid and the adjacent portions of the silo, showing the lid in normal closed position.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the lid in raised position to permit escape of excess air from the interior of the silo during the filling operation.

As shown in the drawing, the silo is provided with a roof R having adjacent its edge portion a filling opening surrounded by an upstanding rib R. The opening may be of any desired shape or size but inmost instances would be circular as would be the surrounding rib R.

On the roof R is an upstanding bracket consisting of a pair of spaced parallel bars 1 of rectangular crosssection, as shown in FIG. 1, extending from a base bar 2 which is secured by screws 3 or the like to the upper side of the roof R, as shown in FIG. 1, the bracket 1 being disposed radially inwardly of the roof R with respect to the rib R. I

An arm 4a is pivotally mounted at one end on a bolt 5 extending through aligned perforations in the end of the arm 4 and through the upright bars 1-1 of the bracket, so that the arm can pivot freely, the outer end of the arm 4 terminating at approximately the center of the circular rib R", as shown. A coil spring 6 is provided having one end secured in perforation 7 in the upper ends of the bars 1 of the bracketand its other end secured in a perforation 4a adjacent the outer end of arm 4, whereby the spring 6 will normally tend to pivot the arm 4 upwardly with respect to the roof R, for the purpose hereinafter set forth. A pair of spaced parallel bars 11 are fixedly secured to the outer end of arm 4 normally to the axis of arm 4, said bars 1 1 extending above and below said arm 4.

2-: the lid 8 is seated on.rib.R-' the opening through. the roof R will be closed-in an airtight manner.

As shown, the-lid. 8 is provided with-aplate 9 secured by screws 10 or the like to the upper face of the lid 8, the plate 9 carrying at the centerof the lid 8 an upstanding lug 94 disposed between the lower ends of the bars 11, and a bolt 12 passes through aligned perforations in the lower end of the bars 11 and through the lug 9a, as shown in FIG. 1, whereby the lid 8 may pivot on the bolt 12 with respect to the axis of the arm 4, the outer end of which arm 4 extends between the bars 11 and is fixedly secured thereto in any desired manner sothat the axis of the bars 11 will remain normal to the longitudinal axis of the arm 4 at all times.

As above stated, the spring 6 normally tends to raise the arm 4 to unseat the lid 8 from the rib R, to permit excess air within the silo to escape through the air release opening in the roof R of the silo. However, after the silo filling operation has been completed by the silage blower, the lid 8 may be closed and maintained closed by means of a cable 13 which has one end engaged in perforations 11a in the upper ends of the pair of bars 11, the cable 13 passing in substantial alignment with the axis of thearm 4 to the edge of the silo roof R and over a pulley 14 carried by a bracket 15 secured to the upper edge of the silo, the cable 13 passing downwardly to a customary lever (not shown) on the side of the silo disposed 4 or 5 feet above ground level, the customary lever being adapted to be locked in lowered position so that when the customary lever is swung downwardly the cable l3 is drawn taut, and when the customary lever is locked in down position the tautness in the cable 13 will maintain the lid 8 firmly down on the rib R, thus maintaining the interior of the silo sealed against further seepage of air into or out of the silo.

By the above construction, since the air release valve is operable from the ground level it is not necessary that the farmer climb to the top of the silo each time he desires to open or close the air release valve in the top of the silo. Obviously the release lid 8 can be made of metal or any other desired material, and the dimensions and shape can be varied to suit the desired size and shape of the air release opening in the silo roof R.

I claim:

1. An air release lid for sealed silos having an air opening in the silo roof surrounded by a raised rib, comprising a bracket secured on said roof and disposed radially inwardly of said rib; an arm pivoted on said bracket adjacent the lower end thereof, said arm terminating at substantially the center of said rib; a spring connecting the upper end of said bracket with the outer end portion of said arm for normally urging the arm to swing upwardly; a second bracket disposed normal to the axis of the arm and fixedly secured intermediate its ends to the outer end of said arm; a lid of same shape as but larger than said rib pivotally connected to the lower end of said second bracket; and a cable extending from the upper end of said second bracket radially across the silo roof and down the side of the silo and adapted to be locked when the cable is drawn taut, thereby maintaining the lid tightly seated upon said rib.

2. In a lid as set forth in claim 1, said first bracket comprising a base bar adapted to be secured to said roof, and a pair of spaced parallel bars extending upwardly from said base bar receiving between them the end of said arm.

tween the lower end of the parallel bars of said second bracket; and a pivot bolt transfixing the lug and the said parallel bars. 

1. An air release lid for sealed silos having an air opening in the silo roof surrounded by a raised rib, comprising a bracket secured on said roof and disposed radially inwardly of said rib; an arm pivoted on said bracket adjacent the lower end thereof, said arm terminating at substantially the center of said rib; a spring connecting the upper end of said bracket with the outer end portion of said arm for normally urging the arm to swing upwardly; a second bracket disposed normal to the axis of the arm and fixedly secured intermediate its ends to the outer end of said arm; a lid of same shape as but larger than said rib pivotally connected to the lower end of said second bracket; and a cable extending from the upper end of said second bracket radially across the silo roof and down the side of the silo and adapted to be locked when the cable is drawn taut, thereby maintaining the lid tightly seated upon said rib.
 2. In a lid as set forth in claim 1, said first bracket comprising a base bar adapted to be secured to said roof, and a pair of spaced parallel bars extending upwardly from said base bar receiving between them the end of said arm.
 3. In a lid as set forth in claim 1, said second bracket comprising a pair of spaced parallel bars receiving between them the adjacent end of the arm.
 4. In a lid as set forth in claim 3, a base secured to the tops of said lid having an upstanding lug disposed between the lower end of the parallel bars of said second bracket; and a pivot bolt transfixing the lug and the said parallel bars. 